Container

ABSTRACT

A container suitable for transporting and displaying a plurality of variously shaped articles is shown. It includes a conventional die-cut, corrugated fiberboard, shipping container having four regular, slotted bottom flaps. The two end panel flaps are offset to the thickness of a platform to which the articles are &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;skin filmed.&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; The platform has two edge flaps and four offset stems located at each of its corners. The stems rest upon the bottom edges of the container during assembly, the container and platform both being inverted, and the edge flaps are snugly wedged against the offset end flaps and sandwiched between the end panel flaps and the side panel flaps of the container. The container is easily assembled and is a mechanically tight and shock insulated container for sample articles.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Robert Jasinover 21 Culver Court, Huntington Station, N.Y. 11746 [2]] Appl. No. 12,773

[22] Filed Feb. 19.1970

[45] Patented Aug. 10,1971

[54) CONTAINER 45.33, 46 R, 46 FR, 65 S, 78 B, 80 A; 229/14 R, 23 R,23 A, DIG. 12,39R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,063,593 11/1962 Kuchenbecker 229/23 A 3,253,765 5/1966 Train 229/23 B 3.385,424 5/1968 Thompsonetal. 2,770,409 11/1956 Moore ABSTRACT: A container suitable for transporting and displaying a plurality of variously shaped articles is shown. It includes a conventional die-cut, corrugated fiberboard, shipping container having four regular, slotted bottom flaps. The two end panel flaps are offset to the thickness of a platform to which the articles are skin filmed. The platform has two edge flaps and four offset stems located at each of its corners. The stems rest upon the bottom edges of the container during assembly, the container and platform both being inverted, and the edge flaps are snugly wedged against the offset end flaps and sandwiched between the end panel flaps and the side panel flaps of the container. The container is easily assembled and is a mechanically tight and shock insulated container for sample articles.

PArEmmwmmsn 3.533.233

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A 'I' TOR NE YS PATENTED AUG I 0:971

SHEET 2 OF 2 INYFINIOR. ROBERT JASINOVER BY I Cum W014; #Mak I 7 I HH IUH AI'TORNEYS CONTAINER This invention relates to an improved container for transporting and for displaying a variety of miscellaneously shaped articles. More specifically this invention relates to a container having a platform insert which mates with the bottom closure flaps of the container, resulting in the firm emplacement of the platform during shipping and providing air/fibreboard cushioning for the contained articles.

In selling household type articles it is frequently desirable to send five or or more miscellaneously shaped sample items for review by a retailer or salesman. Heretofore it has been necessary to construct intricate container inserts of cardboard or plastic to hold each of the variously shaped bottles, cans, tubes and other such items. Alternatively these items can be shipped randomly or loosely packed in a single container, but the chances of breakage, leakage and general disarray caused by rough handling is an unsatisfactory result. A more recent innovation in the field of multiple sample shipping and display includes setting the several sample items on a single platform of corrugated fiberboard, plastic or the like and covering the array with a semirigid, transparent sheet of plastic. The items are thereby held down on the platform and are visible for inspection even without removing them from beneath the cover. This technique of shipping reduces the problems encountered in random, loose packing of sample items, reduces or obviates the need for special box or carton inserts for holding each of the variously shaped sample items and maintains the display arrangement of the samples.

The platforms, which are sized according to the shipping container and which are variously made up with alternative arrangements and inventories of sample items, must be inserted in the shipping container in such a way that movement therein during transportation is reduced to an absolute minimum. This is particularly so where the sample items are of glass or other fragile material. It is also important that the platforms, having sample items on them, be relatively easily emplaced within the shipping containers and easily removed from them so that packing labor costs are reduced and the same containers can be used for different platforms and assortments of sample items. It is furthermore important that the platform be easily assembled from conventional container materials and that it be usable with cartons or containers of relatively conventional design and size.

It is thus the primary object of this invention to provide a container for the transporting and display of assortments of variously shaped sample items.

It is a further and related object of this invention to provide a container, to be constructed of conventional materials such as corrugated fiberboard which permits the emplacement of a platform within it, the platform having arranged upon it an assortment of sample items.

It is still a further and broader object of this invention to provide. a container construction which permits rapid assembly and disassembly 'of the platformshipping container combination.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shipping container, having a platform upon which goods can be emplaced. which insulates its contents against mechanical shock.

These and other objects of this invention are achieved in a die-cut, corrugated fiberboard shipping container having four regular, slotted bottom flaps of which the two end panel flaps are offset to the thickness of the platform described below. A platform, to which the articles are skin filmed," is provided, having two edge flaps extending inwardly and below itself. The platform has four offset stems located at each corner.

To assemble the container and platform, the container is inverted. The platform, also inverted, is supported upon the bottom edges of the container, the four stems lying to either side of the offset end panel flaps. The end panel flaps are closed against the bottom surface of the platform and the two side flaps are then closed snugly over both the platform edge flaps and the end panel flaps. The side and end flaps are attached to tacted and laterally held by the offset edges of the endpanel flaps and the edge flaps of the platform are snugly sandwiched between the end and side flaps of the container. Thus there are four layers of fiberboard and three air layers protecting the contents of the container from mechanical shock.

IN HE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container that has been inverted with a platform for articles also inverted, shown separately and removed from the container;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a comer of the inverted container of FIG. 1 with the inverted platform supported thereon and showing the several interlocking flaps in an upright position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled container and platform with a portion cut away to show interlocking of the several flaps;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the platform;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the assembled container and platform of FIG. 3 taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the assembled container and platform of FIG. 3 taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3.

Reference numeral 10 refers to a conventional, die-cut, corrugated fiberboard shipping container having four regular, slotted, bottom flaps designated by reference numerals 12, 14, 16 and 18. The two end panel flaps l6 and 18 are offset at their sides to the thickness of the platform discussed below. These offsets are shown at reference numerals 20, 22, 24 and 28.

As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 4, the platform 30, to which the sample items are skin filmed consists of a single fiberboard sheet with two end flaps 32 and 34. Two double rows of perforations 35 and 36 permit ready bending of end flaps to the positions shown in FIGS. 1, 2 or 3. Platform 30 has four offset stems 38, 40, 42 and 44, located at each of its four corners.

In assembly the container 10 is inverted as shown in FIG. 1 and the platform 30, also inverted, is placed on it with offset stems 38, 40, 42 and 44 lying upon the sidewalls of the container. The stems rest on the areas to either side of the offset end panel flaps. The end panel flaps 16 and 18 are then closed to lie against the bottom surface of platform 30 and thereby snugly wedge platform 30 against the sides of the container in the lateral direction. The side panel flaps l2 and 14 are then closed downwardly, forcing platform edge flaps 32 and 34 to close against end flaps 16 and 18 and sandwiching the edge flaps firmly between itself and the end panel flaps. The side and end panel flaps are then attached by stapling or other means to one another.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the articles 46 skin filmed to platform 30 are well cushioned against mechanical shock due to dropping or rough handling of the assembled container. The platform is snugly braced against lateral motion by the offset end flaps 16 and 18 and there are multiple layers of corrugated fiberboard between the articles and the outside of the bottom of the container. Furthermore there are air spaces between these layers which provide further mechanical insulation. The container is easily assembled as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 by inverting container 10 and platform 30 and assembling them as shown.

What I claim is:

l. A container suitable for transporting and displaying a variety of articles, comprising: a rectangular, die-cut, corrugated fiberboard shipping container having four regular, slotted bottom flaps including two side flaps and two end panel flaps offset to the thickness of the platform hereinafter defined; and a rectangular platform to which articles may be skin filmed having two edge flaps and four offset stems located at each corner thereof, said stems being supported upon the inverted bottom edges of the container and lying to either side of the offset end panel flaps, and being snugly wedged against the offset sides of said end panel flaps and snugly sandwiched between said end panel flaps and said side 

1. A container suitable for transporting and displaying a variety of articles, comprising: a rectangular, die-cut, corrugated fiberboard shipping container having four regular, slotted bottom flaps including two side flaps and two end panel flaps offset to the thickness of the platform hereinafter defined; and a rectangular platform to which articles may be ''''skin filmed'''' having two edge flaps and four offset stems located at each corner thereof, said stems being supported upon the inverted bottom edges of the container and lying to either side of the offset end panel flaps, and being snugly wedged against the offset sides of said end panel flaps and snugly sandwiched between said end panel flaps and said side panel flaps. 